Automatic central buffer coupling for railway cars



S. TORMA April 4, 1939,

AUTOMATIC CENTRAL BUFFER COUPLING FOR RAILWAY CARS Fild Nov. 18, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 4, 1939. s. TORMA 2,153,107

AUTOMATIC CENTRAL BUFFER COUPLING FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed Nov. 18, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 jw'fiiib M F191 95 F1991? F1990 //7 van tom Patented Apr. 4, 1939 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

AUTOMATIC CENTRAL BUFFER COUPLING FOR RAILWAY CARS Stefan Torma, Budapest, Hungary 15 Claims.

This invention relates to an automatic coupling for railway cars and pertains particularly to that type of couplings in which two projections are arranged diagonally opposite each other and the projections are provided to extend from a base surface of the body of the coupling.

The subject-matter of the invention is characterized by the feature that the upper surface of the lower projection and the lower surface of the upper projection lie substantially in a plane of the draft or bufing transmission line. In other words these surfaces are arranged so as to be in alignment with the height of the draft line extending between the two cars to be coupled. The invention is further directed to a railway coupling wherein the base surface of the coupling head is substantially perpendicular to the draft and buffer transmission line.

The advantages of such improvements reside in the fact that the projections of the coupling head can be shortened so that the overall length of the coupling is small as compared to such devices of the prior art. In addition to such improvements the invention provides a coupling having a large range of engagement and the angular adjustment of the coupling heads is permitted in substantial, vertical and horizontal directions.

The various novel features and objects of the PO invention will be more apparent to those skilled in the art upon a consideration of the accompanying drawings and the following description wherein an exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown and described.

33 In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a basic form of one-half of the coupling.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating the funamental form of the other half of the coupling.

Figure 8 is a side view of the coupling halves illustrating an angular engagement thereof.

Figure 4 is a side View of the draw-hook illustrating the housing thereof in section.

Figure 5 is a side view partially in vertical section illustrating the details of the coupling where in the section thereof is taken on the line V-V of Figure 6.

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line VI-VI of Figure 5.

Figure '7 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line VII-VII of Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a front end view of the coupling head.

Figures 9a-9d are vertical sectional views taken on the line IX-IX of Figure 5 and illustrate means for locking the lifted draft transmission member.

Referring to the drawings and patricularly Figures 1 and 2, the numeral 2 designates one 5 of the coupling heads and the other of the coupling heads is indicated generally at l. The coupling head 2 comprises a body portion which is provided with two projections 3 and 4 extending forwardly from the body thereof and ar- 10 ranged diagonally opposite. to each other. The projection 3 is formed by the surfaces 5, 6 and 1 which are more clearly illustrated in Figure 8. The projection 4 is bounded by the surfaces 8 9 and H] as shown in Figures 1 and 8. eral overall shape of the projections may be regarded as rectangular and having the surface t for example extend perpendicular or substantially so from the surface Ill. The edges Ii, l2, l3 and M as indicated by the heavy lines in Figure 1 are preferably cut away to provide oblique surfaces or angular corners along these edges so that the ends of the projections will take the shape of that illustrated in Figure 8.

The coupling head I is also provided with projections 3 and 4 which are located so as to enter the cavities formed by the projections of the coupling head 2 when the two coupling heads are moved towards each other. In other words the staggered projections of the l and 2 may be moved towards each other until the vertical surfaces of both heads are moved into engagement with each other. The vertical surfaces 5 and 8 are provided for the purpose of transmitting the bufiing or pushing forces and act in conjunction with the vertical surfaces I 5 and IE to provide means for pushing one coupling head before the other. The vertical surfaces 5, 8, l5 and I6 may be regarded as base The gen 15 surfaces and the term as used herein is intended 0 to relate to such parts of the coupling head.

The object of cutting away the edges H l2,

I3 and I4 is for the purpose of causing the heads to be moved in an overlapping fashion even though one coupling head is not accurately positioned in the same axis as the other. The surfaces 6 and 1 as well as the surfaces 9 and I 0 provide means for guiding the coupling heads after the preliminary engagement so that the vertical surfaces may be moved to a position immediately adjacent the base surfaces.

The line of intersection between the surfaces 6 and l and the line of intersection between the surfaces 9 and I0 lies in the geometrical longitudinal axis C-C as illustrated in Figure 1.

coupling heads In a structural arrangement the line of intersection of the surfaces 6 and I does not lie in the line of intersection of the surfaces 9 and I0 as shown in Figure 8. These surfaces are shifted slightly to the horizontal plane A-A and to the vertical central plane B-B so that the interengagement of the coupling heads is facilitated. Referring to Figure 3 there is illustrated in a side view the inter-engaged coupling head prior to the completion of the coupling operation wherein the longitudinal axes of the coupling heads form an angle with each other. From an observation of Figure 3 it will be apparent that angular adjustment of the coupling heads will be alfected by the faces 5 and 15 when the coupling heads are moved further towards each other. When the coupling operation has been entirely completed the longitudinal axis C-C will lie in alignment with the draft and pressure transmitting line MM.

The means for providing a draft connection between the coupling heads is shown in Figure 4 and comprises a hook ll which is attached to the coupling head I by means of a transversely extending shaft or pivot H3. The axis of the shaft l8 crosses the central line M-lVl as illustrated in Figure 6. The inner hooked face of the drawhook is provided with a sloping surface for engagement with the edge 19 of the opening 22. The slope of the engaging portion of the hook is such that a line extending at right angles therefrom and passing through the opening engaging point l9 will pass through the axis of the pivot 18. Thus the draw-hook cannot unintentionally become disengaged from engagement with the coupling head 2 under the action of the tractive power.

When the railway cars provided with such a coupling are moving over the tracks the coupling heads will perform movements with respect to each other in the directions indicated by the arrow 20 of Figure 4 and the extent of these movements will depend upon the play between the coupling heads. When these movements take place the draw-hook l'l will follow the coupling head 2 partly because of the mass or weight thereof and partly by reason of the friction aris ing at the point where the hook engages the aperture edge 19. Thus the hook I1 is caused to remain in engagement with the opening of the coupling head 2.

The preceding description of the invention including the references to the drawings relates principally to the basic features of the invention and Figures 5 to 9d pertain to a constructional embodiment of the coupling including the details thereof.

Referring particularly to Figure 5 it is to be noted that the coupling head 2 when engaged by the hook ll will turn the hook upwardly until the aperture 22 arrives below the free end of the hook when the hooked end thereof will drop into the opening under the influence of the weight thereof. In this position the abutment member 2| of the hook I'I will engage the upper surface of the coupling 2 in front of the aperture 22 to provide a proper position for the hook l1. When the parts of the coupling are in such a position the coupling operation is complete.

In order to uncouple the arrangement and to disengage the hook I! a lever or arm 23 is provided to extend outwardly from the housing or coupling head as illustrated in Figure 6. A chain 24 may be provided on the end of the arm 23 so that movement of the lever 23 by means of the chain in the direction of arrow 25 (Figure 7) will cause the lever to be pivoted about the shaft 23a. Such movement of the lever will cause the pressure bar 26 to engage the lug 21 which extends rearwardly from the draw-hook I1. Thus the downward movement of the lug 21 will cause the hook I! to be rotated about the pivot l8 and permit the hooked end to escape from the aperture 22. Arranged below the draw-hook and to one side thereof is a counter-pawl 29 from which an arm 28 laterally extends to a position below the lug '21. The counter-pawl is rotatably supported on the shaft l8. When the hook I! is being lifted out of the aperture 22 a similar hook is lifted out of a corresponding aperture in the coupling head I by means of the pawl 29 which acts in an upward direction. When both drawhooks have escaped the openings of the coupling heads the disengaging or uncoupling operation is complete and the cars can thereafter be removed from each other.

The tip of the draw-hook as well as the openings for receiving the hooked end of the drawhook are preferably provided with oblique or sloping surfaces 30 and 3| as shown in Figure 4. The provision of such surfaces on these parts is not essential for lifting each draw-hook out of the coupling head but such surface arrangements are provided so that when the hook is partially lifted out of the opening 22 the pulling force exerted on the hook I! will cause the tapering surface 30 to ride onthe oblique surface 3| and thus lift the hook automatically to completely disengage the same from the coupling head 2. The turning movement of the hook I! on the shaft l8 rotates the counter-pawl 29 which lifts the draw-hook of the other coupling head and permits it to escape from a similar opening 22 in the coupling head I. Rotation of the hook on the shaft l8 as shown in Figure 5 in a clockwise direction will cause a part of the lug 21 to engage the arm 28 and thus lift the tip portion of the pawl 29. The purpose of the sloping surfaces 3|] and 3| is thus to provide means for preventing a situation from arising in which only one draw-hook is subjected to the action of the tractive power.

As a result of possible inaccuracies in the shape of the various parts of the coupling and particularly the draw-hooks it is practically impossible to arrange the hooks so that both hooks will engage the respective apertures 22 simultaneously along the entire breadth of each hook. Accordingly the inner face of each draw-hook is formed to have a convex shape as indicated at 32 and shown in the dotted lines of Figure 6. Thus it is possible for each hook to properly engage the edge of the openings 22 without subjecting the hooks to a twisting action as a result of one edge engaging the openings 22.

The edge of the openings 22 is preferably provided with a convex profile so that the hooks [1 may be more readily removed from engagement therein. The edge surfaces of the openings and the engaging surfaces of the hooks may be formed of hardened material and thus the strain on these surfaces may be maintained within satisfactory limits even though the surfaces are subjected to wear at only one point. Referring to Figure 5 it is to be noted that a spring 34 is interposed between the arm 28 and the sleeve rotated by the lever 23 and this spring acts to cause the hook I1 and the pawl 29 including the lever 23 to remain in their proper respective'positions with respect to each other regardless of the vibrations taking place while the car or cars are moving over the railway tracks. if one of the springs housed in each of the coupling heads is broken the other spring will nevertheless act for fulfilling the purposes of the broken spring.

The invention includes means for locking the lifted draft transmission member or hook I! and such mechanism is provided so as to render it unnecessary to hold the chain 24 until the coupling heads have actually been withdrawn from one another. Such a mechanism is in various stages of operation illustrated in Figures 9ct-9d. The mechanism comprises a key 36 having the lower end 31 thereof pointed and adapted to engage the upper surface of the lower projection extending from the opposite coupling head. During the uncoupling operation the chain 24 is manually pulled so that the lever 23 is rotated about the shaft 234:. and the sleeve rigidly fixed thereto carries a cam 38 which will be turned in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 9a. During such movement the cam 38 will engage the key 36 and turn it in an angular position as illustrated in Figure 9b. During such movement of the lever 23 the hook I! will be lifted so as to be removed from engagement with the opposite coupling head. Further turning of the lever 23 will permit the cam 38 to slip over the end of the key 36 as shown in Figure 9c. The key 36 will therefore return to its original position which movement may be assisted by a weight 39. In this position the cam 38 rests upon the upper end of the key 36 so as to prevent counterclockwise movement of the cam 38 and the draw-hook i! as long as the opposite coupling half by which the key is supported has not been completely withdrawn from the coupling head I. Thus it is not necessary to maintain tension on the chain 24 until the cars or coupling heads have been completely withdrawn from one another. When the coupling head 2 has been completely withdrawn from. the coupling head I the key 36 will fall as a result of its weight and as a result of the action of the spring 34. The mechanism will then be in a position as shown in Figure 9d which represents the complete uncoupled position. In such a stage of operation all members of the locking member return to a position of rest by reason of their weight and by means of the spring 34. Accordingly the hooked end of the draw-hook moves downwardly so that the lug 21 extending from the rear thereof engages the pressure bar 26 whereby further downward swinging of the hooked end is prevented.

Such a coupling head may be attached to a railway car in various manners. An advantageous arrangement is illustrated in Figure 5. Such an arrangement comprises a hollow draft-bar 4| which extends from the railway car and which is intended to withstand the pushing and pulling forces applied thereto. The coupling head is attached to the draw-bar 4| by means of a bolt and a washer 42 in such a manner that the coupling head can swing within predetermined limits in all directions. The weight of the coupling head is preferably supported by means of spring (not shown). The buffing or pushing forces are transmitted from the coupling head to the draw-bar 4| by means of the curved surface appearing at the end of the radius R. The tractive or pulling forces are transmitted from the coupling head or draw-bar 4| by means of a bolt or the washer or collar 42. The collar 42 and the shouldered end of the draw-bar 4| are provided with curved surfaces having a radius r. By suitable selection of the radius R and the radius r the friction arising at the various curved surfaces may be maintained so as to prevent detrimental movement of the coupling head with respect to the draw-bar. Such relative movements however are necessary particularly when the center line of the inter-engaging coupling heads do not lie exactly at the same height which may be caused for example by one car being loaded to a greater extent than the other. The pushing or impact forces arising from such a case would tend to lift the lighter loaded car so that derailments of the car having the higher draft center line might be caused in negotiating curves of the track. Theoretically the car having the lower transmission center line will not lift the other car if the difference between the height of the two draft center lines is:

where' indicates the coefilcient of friction arising between the curved surfaces having the radius R. The capacity of the angular adjustment is" favorably influenced not only by the symmetric arrangement of the projections 3 and 4 but also by the short length l of the head I as shown in Figure 3. This fact can readily be ascertained by tracing the coupling heads I and 2 at several differences of height of the cars. Accordingly it is important to make the coupling heads short. In Figures 1 and 2 it is to be noted that the engaging surfaces and the buifing surfaces or the angle adjusting surfaces are so designed that the coupling head is as short as possible. The other members of the coupling heads are so designed and arranged that the projections 3 and 4 need not be elongated. It is much more advantageous to arrange the hook I! or the member transmit' ting the pulling force in the horizontal middle plane of the coupling instead of positioning such means in the vertical middle plane. From an observation of Figure 1 it may be seen that the distance a is greater than the distance b and such an 1 arrangement is provided since the difference in height to be compensated for between two opposite coupling heads is generally smaller than the lateral difference. It is for this reason also that the edges I2 and I4 are cut away to a smaller extent than the edges and I3. Thus there is provided sufficient space for the tractive power transmitting member or the hook I! within the extent of the coupling head so that the projections need not be elongated. Elongation of the projections however would be necessary if the tractive power transmitting member were housed in that part of the head which has the length b. According to the present improvement the two hooks I! are loaded only with one-half of the tractive power and the size of these elements may be small and thus housed in a relatively small space.

The draw-hook as above described constitutes the means for transmitting the pulling force and the nose of the hook is broad and can therefore be made short and still sufiiciently strong. The draw-hook transmits the tractive power to the coupling heads by means of the shaft l8 provided in the rear part of the coupling head. The upper of the two projections is thus relieved from the action of the tractive force. It is not necessary to make the upper projections stronger or longer as would be necessary if the element transmitting the tractive power would be a shiftable bolt or the like. Furthermore, the draw-hook designed in accordance with the present invention can be more easily disconnected than would be possible with the use of a shiftable bolt.

The key 36 described in the mechanism shown in Figures 9a-9d is arranged in the long surface a of the coupling head so that the cars can move away from one another for a certain distance Without the coupling heads assuming a state of operation in which they are ready for the next coupling operation. Such a feature is of importance in shifting or shunting railway cars. If the key 36 were supported in a position by the short portion b it might be possible to couple cars unintentionally since the time required for uncoupling cars in shunting would be insufficient to render the coupling head operable for the next coupling operation.

The symmetric and short design of the coupling heads is advantageous not only with respect to the angular adjustment of the two coupling heads but also provides an additional improvement in that the necessary pipes and cables which pass from. one car to the other can be attached to the sides of the coupling more easily than with the devices heretofore known. Still another advantage is provided by the coupling in that it will operate satisfactorily Without springs since each of the movable parts is capable of assuming a proper position by reason of its own weight.

Although certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been described it is apparent that modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art. Such modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Automatic central buffer coupling for railway cars comprising, a coupler head having two diametrically arranged projections, the inner surface of each projection comprising three surfaces arranged substantially perpendicular to one another and connected by two intersecting oblique plane surfaces while the transmission of the tractive force takes place at two points in the horizontal central plane, and the two points transmitting the tractive force being opposite each other with respect to a line in said plane which connects together the draft bar joint point of the coupling, and the point of intersection of the extension of the said three surfaces which are arranged substantially perpendicular to one another.

2. A coupling as specified in claim 1, characterized by the feature, that of the three surfaces arranged substantially perpendicular to one another the intersection line of two of said three surfaces lies substantially in the central draft and buffing transmission line.

3. A coupling as specified in claim 1, characterized by the features, that of the three surfaces arranged substantially perpendicular to one another, two of said surfaces form an inner horizontal edge and two of said surfaces form an inner vertical edge and that said interior edges are cut off by said oblique surfaces.

i. A coupling as specified in claim 1, characterized by the features, that of the surfaces arranged substantially vertical to one another, two of said surfaces form an inner horizontal edge and two of said surfaces form an inner vertical edge, that the said interior edges of said projections are cut off by said oblique surfaces and that said oblique surfaces cut away the vertical inner edges of said projections in a higher degree than the horizontal edges of said projections.

5. A coupling as specified in claim 1, characterized by the features, that of the three surfaces arranged substantially perpendicular to one another, two of said surfaces form an inner horizontal edge and two of said surfaces form an inner vertical edge and that said interior edges are cut off by said oblique surfaces, one oblique surface being parallel to a horizontal transverse line and extending substantially up to the horizontal middle plane and the other oblique surface eX- tending in a vertical plane substantially up to the transverse vertical middle plane of the coupling head.

6. A coupling as specified in claim 1, characterized by the feature, that a draft transmission member rotatable about a bolt is arranged Within the profile of the coupling head in such a manner that it extends substantially through the horizontal middle plane of the coupling head.

7. A coupling as specified in claim 1, characterized by the features that in the first projection a draw hook rotatable parallelly to the vertical middle plane is arranged and that in the second projection a recess for the reception of the draw hook of the opposite coupling head is provided.

8. A coupling as specified in claim 1, characterized by the features that a draw hook is arranged in the upper projection and that a nose of said draw hook projects out of said upper projection through a recess provided at the horizontal transition surface between the vertical bumng surfaces, whereas another recess is provided at the diagonally opposite lower projection likewise at the horizontal transition surface between the vertical buffing surfaces there located so that the draw-hook of the oppositely located coupling head can engage said recess of the lower projection while the coupling procedure is going on.

9. A coupling as specified in claim 1, characterized by the feature that a draw hook is arranged in the upper projection and that the hook surface of the draw-hook is so designed that an imaginary line extending perpendicular from any engaging point of the engaging hook surface intersects approximately the axial line of the pivot of the draw-hook.

10. A coupling as specified in claim 1, characterized by the feature that a draw hook is arranged in the upper projection and that the engaging surface at the nose of the draw-hook is convex.

11. A coupling as specified in claim 1, characterized by the feature that a draw-hook is arranged in the upper projection and a recess for the reception of the corresponding hook of a cooperating coupler head is arranged in the lower projection and that said recess has a convex surface engaged by the hook surface of the corresponding hook of the cooperating coupler head.

12. A coupling as specified in claim 1, characterizedby the features that a draw-hook is arranged in the upper projection and that a counter pawl is turnable in the lower projection, said counter pawl having a lateral arm, and that a lug is arranged on the draw-hook in the upper projection, said lug being adapted to strike the arm on the counter pawl and to lift said counterpawl when the draw hook is lifted, so that the counter-pawl lifts simultaneously the draw-hook of the opposite coupling head.

13. A coupling as specified in claim 1, characterized by the features that the upper projection contains a draw-hook and a device for lifting the draw-hook of the opposite head, said device consisting of a lever adapted to be rotated by hand, a shaft fixed to said lever, a second lever on said shaft, a lug on the draw-hook and a pressure bar between said second lever and said lug, said bar adapted to push down said lug and to lift said draw-hook, a counter pawl rotatable in the lower projection, said counter pawl having a lateral arm extending up to the under side of said lug of the draw-hook, said lug being adapted to strike the arm on the counter pawl to lift the counter-pawl and corresponding drawhook of a cooperating coupler head, a lateral lug arranged on said shaft, and a spring connecting said lateral lug to the free end of the lateral arm of the counter pawl and said spring normally holding said counter pawl down.

14. A coupling as specified in claim 1, characterized by the features, that one projection contains a draw hook and a device for lifting said draw hook, a device for blocking the lifted draw hook arranged in said projection and said device having a key adapted toabut on the lower projection of a cooperating coupler head and to hold the device in its locking position whenv the coupling heads are interengaged.

15. A coupling as specified in claim 1, characterized by the features, that one projection contains a draw hook and a device for lifting the draw hook, a device for locking the lifted draw hook arranged in said projection and said device having a weighted key adapted to abut on the lower projection of a cooperating coupler head and to hold the device in its locking position when the coupler heads are interengag-ed, the device for lifting the draw hook having a cam adapted to turn said key into an oblique position and to slip over and rest upon said key after the return of said key to its normal vertical position so that said key locks the lifted draw hook as long as the coupler heads are interengaged. 

